| Brownfields 2011 Cleanup Grant Fact Sheet * Southern Carolina Regional Development Alliance, Fairfax, SC EPA Brownfields Program EPA's Brownfields Program empowers states. communities, and other stakeholders to work together to prevent, assess, safely clean up, and sustainably reuse brownfields. A brownfield site is real property, the expansion, redevelopment, or reuse of which may be complicated by the presence or potential presence of a hazardous substance, pollutant, or contaminant. In 2002, the Small Business Liability Relief and Brownfields Revitalization Act was passed to help states and communities around the country cleanup and revitalize brownfields sites. Under this law, EPA provides financial assistance to eligible applicants through four competitive grant programs: assessment grants, revolving loan fund grants, cleanup grants, and job training grants. Additionally, funding support is provided to state and tribal response programs through a separate mechanism. Community Description The Southern Carolina Regional Development Alliance was selected to receive a brownfields cleanup grant. The Alliance is a nonprofit economic development organization formed to market sites in four southern South Carolina counties: Allendale, Bamberg, Barnwell, and Hampton. The site to be cleaned up is located in the Town of Fairfax in Allendale County (population 11,211). In the 1940s, the construction of Highway 301 brought a valuable tourist trade to Allendale County's economy. Later, the building of interstate highways hurt the county's economy as businesses left Highway 301. Over the last two decades, the textile industry throughout the state has significantly declined as textile manufacturers moved jobs to other countries. Almost 42 percent of the county's families live below the poverty level, and nearly 20 percent of residents are unemployed. Approximately 71 percent of county residents are African-American. Cleanup of the target site is expected to make the property more attractive to developers. The county plans to redevelop the property into warehouse, light industrial, or commercial space. Cleanup Grant $200,000 for hazardous substances EPA has selected the Southern Carolina Regional Development Alliance for a brownfields cleanup grant. Hazardous substances grant funds will be used to clean up the 27-acre former Shaw Industries property at 3405 Allendale Fairfax Highway in Fairfax. From 1963 until 2001, the site was used by various carpet manufacturers. After 2001, the site was used for the storage of textile chemicals and is now vacant. Groundwater and soils at the site are contaminated with chlorinated solvents and heavy metals. Contacts For further information, including specific grant contacts, additional grant information, brownfields news and events, and publications and links, visit the EPA Brownfields Web site (http://www.epa.gov/brownfields). EPA Region 4 Brownfields Team (404) 562-8792 EPA Region 4 Brownfields Web site (http: //www. epa.gov/region4/waste/bf) Grant Recipient: Southern Carolina Regional Development Alliance,SC 803-541-0023 The information presented in this fact sheet comes from the grant proposal; EPA cannot attest to the accuracy of this information. The cooperative agreement for the grant has not yet been negotiated. Therefore, activities described in this fact sheet are subject to change. United States Environmental Protection Agency Washington, DC 20450 Solid Waste and Emergency Response (5105T) E PA 560-F-128-062 May 11 ------- |